SportsTurf

September

SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.

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Irrigation&Drainage | Mary Helen Sprecher >> A NATURAL FIELD surrounded by a rubberized track, showing clear differentiation between the track edge and the slot drain. Keeping drains clean allows water to move off the surface. Photos courtesy of the Beals Alliance, Folsom, CA Principles of good drainage N O MATTER how great it looks, no matter how many important games are played on it, a field is going to be judged by how well it rebounds from a rain- storm and is ready for action. So un- less you feel a deep-seated urge to call coaches on a regular basis to tell them to find a rain date, you need to make sure your drainage is up to par. Much attention has been paid to the drainage systems installed in syn- thetic fields, but not everyone recog- nizes that a natural field, too, can be designed to make it through the rain and be ready for business. It needs two main ingredients: good construc- tion (this includes having the right soil for its weather conditions and use), and regular maintenance. There are two basic types of natu- ral grass fields: native soil and sand- based. A native soil field may be a true native field, in which only the soil found at the site is present, or a modified native soil field, or a sand- cap field. A sand-based system, meanwhile, is one in which the native soil is com- pletely removed, and replaced with 30 SportsTurf | September 2011 an under-drain system and a drainage media layer (principally stone and rootzone material that is largely sand) to improve drainage. Neither type of field is 'better,' per se; however, one may be better under the given conditions. According to the book, Sports Fields: A Construc- tion and Maintenance Manual, "The main problem with native soil fields is drainage. Most native soils absorb water quite slowly and cannot handle large amounts; therefore, without ad- ditional provision for drainage, these fields can easily become muddy, worn and/or unusable." Dan Wright of SportsTurf Com- pany, Inc. in Whitesburg, Georgia, says that because of its composition, a native soil field can compact over time, particularly with contin- ued play, mowing and more. "Thatch and mulch builds up and when water falls on the field, the field will absorb the water but the water does- n't really go anywhere. That's what usually causes the prob- lem. Then you have wet soil and if people play on it, it tears the field apart." DRAINAGE PRINCIPLES According to the book, "to facilitate drainage, the pre- ferred site would be a relatively level plane that is higher than the surrounding terrain. Realistically, however, many sites for athletic facilities are less than ideal." Turf managers know the first step to good drainage is insuring that any water that goes on the field comes from either rainwater or planned irrigation. In other words, it is important to make sure that water isn't coming onto the field from another source: running down bleachers, drip- ping off dugout roofs, running down nearby hillsides, etc. Proper drainage around and under such areas can go a long way toward helping alleviate ponding on the field. SITE GRADING The phrase, "level playing field" isn't just a metaphor for fair competition; it's a description of something that is absolutely critical in construction. Even a slight dip in the field can cause water to collect on the surface or for some areas to remain muddy after the rest of the field is playable. ...experts agree that both the usefulness of the field and its long-term performance, are tied to having an effective drainage system. >> UNDERGROUND DRAINS are commonly used on natural and artifi- cial fields. The concerns with this type drain are usually not addressed but are significant to drainage performance. www.sportsturfonline.com By

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